Tips for Understanding the TIP

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One of the biggest tasks at WATS is developing, programming, and monitoring the TIP. The WATS Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) shows residents and visitors of Washtenaw County how federal transportation funds will be spent over a 4 year time period. This federally required process of how to spend federal transportation funds is one of the most important functions of WATS.  The total 4-year TIP (2020-2023) has just over $220 million dollars worth of improvements included.

Roads and Highways

All transportation improvements that use federal funds in Washtenaw County are required to be listed in the TIP. As you review the project list some projects may show up in the TIP as Countywide Preventative Maintenance or Capital Preventative Maintenance. When the project list was developed in 2019, there was no way to predict the impacts that the seasons will have on roadways in 2023. This category allows flexibility for agencies to make adjustments depending upon the conditions of the roadways from year to year. Before federal funds can be spent, those specifics must be defined and programmed before the public comment period begins. Currently, roads and highway projects account for $164 million in the TIP which is 74% of the overall program. 

Transit

For transit agencies, their projects are categorized mainly by operations or capital. Operations are the funds used by the transit agencies to run their organization, such as salary, maintenance, gas, etc. Capital projects are for improvements to facilities, purchasing buses, maintaining the fleet of vehicles that you see in our community every day. Currently, transit projects account for $49 million in the TIP, which is 23% of the overall program. 

Active Transportation

WATS classifies these types of projects as bike lanes, trails, sidewalk infill projects, or brand new sidewalks. These facilities provide vital connections to all people for their entire trip or just parts of their trip. Currently, active transportation projects account for $7.7 million in the TIP, which represents 3% of the overall program.


You can see the entire 4-year list of projects by clicking here or contact Suzann Flowers to learn more about specific projects at flowerss@miwats.org.